Eye Catcher Global 2025 (ECG2025) — Ignite the Spark: Authentic Voices, Worldwide Impact! Now calling for FIRST CUT of film projects (before premiere) from ASIA!

ECG supports emerging filmmakers from the Asian region by organising the Eye Catcher Short Awards and the Asian New Director Awards, as well as screenings, talks and workshops, that bridge the regional and global film communities.

The Asian New Director Awards this year continues to support filmic expression, imagination and aesthetics from the Pan-Asian films. Now recruiting first cuts of promising fiction and non-fiction film projects (before premiere)! It is specifically designed for emerging directors from Asia, with at least half of the shortlisted quotas reserved for Chinese-language film projects.

And the Eye Catcher Short Awards is designed for filmmakers from Hong Kong and across Asia! In collaboration with local universities and cultural institutions, the awards features 7 categories: AI-Generated, Animation, Dance Video, Documentary, Drama, Music Video and Student. Now calling for new entries! ALL Shorts produced on or after 20 June 2023 are welcome! (Please visit https://filmfreeway.com/eyecatchershortawards for details and submission.)

Programmer / director from important film festival will be invited to head the jury panel for both Awards! Shortlisted applicants will be invited to the Awards Ceremony and related events, competing for awards, cash prizes and sponsorship on overseas film festivals trips.

Don’t hesitate — submit your work now and connect with fellow creators and industry professionals!

For detailed rules & regulations, latest updates and all information in Chinese, please refer to the official website: www.eyecatchehk.com/ecg2025
有關比賽規則的詳細內容、最新更新，以及所有中文版資料，請參閱官方網站：https://www.eyecatcherhk.com/ecg2025/

About EYE CATCHER
Inaugurated in 2021, Eye Catcher is a platform based in Hong Kong to nurture and showcase emerging filmmakers and their creativity. We aim to encourage the spirit of self-producing, to provide a launching pad for new-generation filmmakers to step onto the international stage, and to explore the upcoming trend in filmmaking. Honorable guests invited in previous ECG include Julien Rejl (Artistic Director of Directors’ Fortnight, Cannes Film Festival), Shan Zuolong (renowned producer for The Botanist, Kaili Blues etc.) and Derek Tsang (Co-director of 3 Body Problem). Besides, ECG alumni have gained international acclaim, such as To Kill a Mongolian Horse (directed by Jiang Xiaoxuan), a shortlisted film project of ECG 2024 – Asian New Director Competition, was selected for Giornate degli Autori (Venice Days) at the 81st Venice Film Festival, and has won the Firebird Award for the Young Cinema Competition (Chinese Language) of HKIFF49.

Awards & Prizes

For Shortlisted Film Projects
● Each shortlisted film project will receive a certificate.

All Shortlisted Film Projects will compete for
● Asian New Director Grand Award – HKD 10,000 Cash Prize (approx. USD 1,280)

Rules & Terms

【Asian New Director Awards】
1. Asian New Director Awards is one of the ECG2025 events, presented by Eye Catcher.
2. Submitted film projects must be the director's 1st or 2nd feature-length film (60 minutes or above).
3. Submitted film projects have no restrictions on themes or formats, fiction or non-fiction feature-length films are all welcomed.
4. Submitted film projects must be a first cut version that has not been publicly screened (premiered) prior to submission.
5. To ensure fairness, any juror involved in a submitted film project must declare a conflict of interest and refrain from participating in the judging of that particular film project.
6. Shortlisted film projects are required to include the Eye Catcher logo in the end credits of the final version of the film.
7. Applicants must ensure that their submitted film projects do not infringe on any third-party rights or copyrights.
8. All submitted film projects must comply with the laws of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
9. The submission deadline is 20 June 2025 (Fri) at 11:59 AM (GMT+8:00, Hong Kong Time). Once submitted, the film project is considered as final for selection and cannot be modified or replaced.
10. If any applicant or winner is found to have provided false, misleading, dishonest or inaccurate information, or violates any rules or regulations, Eye Catcher reserves the sole and absolute right to disqualify their submission or revoke their award. All decisions made by Eye Catcher are final and binding.
11. Eye Catcher reserves the right to reject any film projects deemed inappropriate or unsuitable for the selection process.
12. By submitting a film project, applicants agree to abide by all rules & regulations of Asian New Director Awards. Eye Catcher holds the sole and absolute discretion to make final decisions on any matters not covered in the awards’ rules & regulations and application form. Eye Catcher also reserves the right to revise the rules & regulations and forms at any time and to modify the details and arrangements of Asian New Director Awards at ECG2025 without prior notice.

【Awards Selection】
1. If the film project is shortlisted and / or awarded in Asian New Director Awards, Eye Catcher and its sponsors and partners shall have the right to use the text and images provided by the applicant, for promotional purposes in any and all media. The applicant shall not claim any copyright infringement against Eye Catcher for such usage.
2. If a film project is shortlisted in Asian New Director Awards, Eye Catcher will screen the film projects to juries ONLY for the selection Asian New Director Award in ECG2025. No premiere or public screening will be held.

【Required Materials】
1. The Application Fee is USD 10 (approx. HKD 80). This fee is non-refundable under any circumstances.
2. Identity Document Cop(ies) (Identity Card / Passport) of director(s).
3. Video Format: (Upload via FilmFreeway with the following specifications):
● Resolution: 1280 x 720
● Video Codec: ProRes 422 in MOV/H.264 in MP4
● Bitrate: 4000 kbps
● File Format: MOV or MP4
● Size: Maximum 10GB
● English subtitles are mandatory
● Vimeo or YouTube links are acceptable for FilmFreeway
4. Other Documents of the Film / Project:
(Applicants with Chinese-language films must submit materials in both Chinese and English, while others may submit in English only.)
● Synopsis (up to 100 words in English and 150 words in Chinese)
● Director’s statement (up to 100 words in English and 150 words in Chinese)
● Director’s biography and filmography (up to 100 words in English and 150 words in Chinese)
● Two posters or stills of your film. Requirements are as follows:
- File Format: JPEG/PNG/TIFF at 300 dpi or higher.
- Please provide 1 landscape and 1 portrait respectively
● A director’s photo. Requirements are as follows:
- File Format: JPEG/PNG/TIFF at 300 dpi or higher.
● Distribution Plan

【Personal Information Collection Statement】
1. We are committed to protecting your personal data and other information in compliance with the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance of the Hong Kong SAR. All of personal information collected through this application form will be used solely for the purpose of communication and promotion related to Eye Catcher projects. Eye Catcher will not disclose your personal information to any third party.
2. Eye Catcher may use your personal information (including your name, phone number, email address, and postal address) for the purposes of communication, event promotion and gathering feedback through surveys. In accordance with the Cap. 486 Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance which came into effect on 1 April 2013, if you do not wish to receive some or all promotional messages from Eye Catcher, please contact us via email (Email: info@eyecatcherhk.com).